Everyone's At It
by Risa Ravenclaw
Summary: Sure enough, there are footsteps in front of the tapestry. The boys raise themselves onto the first step behind the secret entrance as quietly as possible. Albus wants to cast a Silencing Charm on them, but he doesn't dare speak, and now is not the time to try nonverbal spells for the first time. / collection of nextgen one-shots, rated T for language
1. Teddy: Christmas

**A/N:** This is a Next Gen collection of one-shots, much like my Soul Eater and Marauders ones. I can take requests, if y'all want, just drop it in a review. Speaking of reviews, I don't really mind if you review or not, but it is appreciated. They let me know how I'm doing, so y'know c:

This is rated T, because there will be language and sexual innuendos. Because James. Enjoy! :3

**CHARACTER:** Teddy Lupin

**YEAR: **Christmas 2009

**PLACE: **The Burrow

**WORDS: **925

**Christmas**

Teddy bit into one of Molly Weasley's deliciously warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies. His hair had been light brown (modeled after an old picture Uncle Harry had shown him of his dad), but it immediately changed to a bright turquoise as he ate the cookie, closing his eyes and letting out a satisfied, "Mmm." Mrs. Weasley absolutely beamed at him, and Victoire giggled across the table.

"You have chocolate on your face," she said, taking a bite of her own cookie.

"So do you," he replied, pointing at her cheek.

She laughed. Before he knew it (he expected to continue talking about Mrs. Weasley's amazing baking abilities), Victoire changed the subject. "So what's Hogwarts like?" She suddenly had this dreamy expression on her face and had yet to remove the chocolate on her cheek.

He shrugged. "I dunno. Lots of fun. And easy. Everything's real easy."

"I thought it would be hard," she said, picking up her glass of milk. After she gulped it all down, she continued, "I mean, to really learn how to do everything. Mum and Dad don't teach me much. They say I'll learn it all when I get to school."

"Does your mum still want you to go to Beauxbatons?" He hoped not. It would be nice to have someone he already really, really knew at Hogwarts with him next year.

Victoire sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but Dad said that we live too far from Beauxbatons, and he wants me to go to Hogwarts like the rest of the family anyway. He says all the Weasleys ever have been to Hogwarts. Mum says Beauxbatons is still a fantastic school, and I speak French anyway, so… She took my broomstick when I told her I was going to Hogwarts whether she liked it or not."

"Well, yeah, I thought we all knew by now not to cross her. Your mum can get scary when she's mad or proven wrong about something."

"Yeah, I know, it's rea—"

"Teddy!"

James Potter ran into the kitchen, closely followed by Albus. At four years old, James was probably the most hyper child Teddy had ever met. And now that Albus was coming out of his shell and talking just as much (if not more) as his elder brother, Teddy almost begged Uncle Harry to take him to Mrs. Weasley's early on his way to the Auror office. Add in Lily's crying and Teddy was ready to check himself into St. Mungo's. Grandmother only laughed at him when he floo'd her about it. Said something about, "Well, what do you think _you_ were like? Let me tell you, Harry and Ginny waited a while to have kids because of all the times they babysat you. I remember Ginny actually telling me that it was brilliant birth control. Fantastic Quidditch player, she was, you loved going to the games…"

"Hey, Jamie."

"Don't call me '_Jamie_,'" James said, struggling to reach a cookie on the table. "Merry Chess-miss, Teddy and Vicky."

"May Chess-miss, Teddy an' Vicky!" Albus repeated, throwing his hands up and smiling.

Taking pity on the poor child, Teddy handed James a cookie. Of course, he ended up having to give one to a pouting Albus, as well, but Teddy figured he could hardly be blamed for that—his face was just so adorably innocent and cute and.

Merlin, he missed the Potters. No matter what he said at school and the letters he wrote claiming he didn't.

Aunt Ginny came in then with Lily balanced on her hip and fast asleep. "Oh, Mum, your cookies," she said, reaching out with her free hand.

"You won't believe," she went on to say, "what Vinnie wants me to do next. You know the Woollongong Warriors? He wants me to go to their next match in a month and do a piece on them. Harry and I were talking, and we were hoping you could take the kids for two weeks when he's at work. If not, we planned on asking Andromeda, she loves them."

Molly held her arms out for Lily, and Aunt Ginny handed her over, shaking her hands out with a "she's getting heavy." Molly bounced her slightly, and Lily woke and smiled. "Of course, I'll watch them. The boys' room is always ready, and we still have all the old baby furniture. What can we say, your father and I are packrats."

Teddy's hand shot into the air as a thought struck him, four months of schooling at Hogwarts kicking in and taking over. Aunt Ginny grinned at him and nodded, so he asked the question doing circles in his head: "Can I go?"

"Me too! Me too!" Victoire said, also raising her hand.

"You don't even like Quidditch!" Teddy said, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, I do!" she insisted, hand still raised and waving in the air in a near-perfect imitation of Teddy just moments before.

"Andromeda already said you could go, Teddy. If your grades aren't good, though, you won't be going. Harry will pick you up, floo you to where I'm staying, and, as soon as the game is over, he'll take you back to school. It's already worked out with Professor McGonagall, so I expect you to be on your best behavior."

"I will!" he promised.

Victoire pouted. "I wanna go! Please, Aunty, please?"

"How about this: I'll talk to your mum and dad, but I can't promise, okay?"

Victoire only crossed her arms over her chest. Teddy noticed she still had chocolate on her cheek.


	2. Albus: Secretly

**A/N: **I'll give this warning first: I ship Scorpal, Scorpius/Albus, Scorbus, whatever you want to call it (I prefer Scorpal c: ), so this is them as a couple. If you don't like boy/boy couples, either ignore it or feel free to skip this one. I don't want anyone to get offended, so yeah. For anyone who IS offended by it, I'm posting another one today, too.

About a couple characters in here: Parker Bobbins is a pureblood Slythern, as is Cicero Nott. The girl Albus mentions is Marina Urquhart, a pureblood Slytherin. They have back stories that aren't explained here, but they will be in my full fanfic when I finish (most) of it and get it posted.

There was something else, but I forget what it was. I'll remember by the time I updated the next chapter, I'm sure XD It'll be up later~ Enjoy!

**CHARACER: **Albus Potter

**YEAR: **6th/2023

**PLACE: **Hogwarts

**WORDS: **503

**Secretly**

Albus paces in the empty classroom, watching the Marauders' Map. They only ever do this when he has the Map, because if James had it, he would find out, and they don't know what he would do. On one hand, he could be predictable and hold it over Albus' head (always thinking the worst). ON the other, he might surprise him and keep the secret, playing protective big brother.

James is currently in the kitchens with Fred. They're probably getting food to celebrate Gryffindor's win against Ravenclaw.

Ravenclaw… He searches for Rose's name. With a jolt, he sees she is in Ravenclaw Tower with Lorcan. So where did—

"Ah!" He jumps, and Scorpius chuckles, arms still wrapped around Albus' waist.

"You should pay more attention. Rose and I finished our rounds ten minutes ago," he says.

"Like you did at lunch?" Albus teases, turning to face him.

Scorpius scowls. "Don't remind me."

"She's really high maintenance."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"So break up with her," Albus suggests, not for the first time.

Scorpius sighs and rests his forehead against Albus'. Albus is cursing his genes for his lack of height, _again_, until Scorpius says, "I can't. Not yet. My parents will get suspicious. They set us up over Christmas, you know."

"Because she's _such_ a catch, top of our class and _everything_."

Scorpius smiles, one of those rare smiles, genuine and saved specially for Albus. "Exactly." He presses a chaste kiss to Albus' lips.

* * *

They get back late, but Cicero and Parker are still up, playing a game of wizard's chess on Parker's bed. One of Cicero's pawns is shouting at him. Parker's remaining bishop is doing the same to him. When Albus and Scorpius stop by the bed to watch, Parker ignores the game, looks up at them, and says, "So, did you two enjoy hot, gay sex or what?"

Albus' eyes widen, and his face flushes. "Wh—what?"

Scorpius orders Cicero's pawn to take Parker's queen.

"Hey!" Parker shouts indignantly.

"Our sex life doesn't concern you," Scorpius says, smirking.

Of course, he and Albus know they haven't gone that far. Albus also knows Scorpius is just baiting their friend, who had been complaining about how his new girlfriend wouldn't even let him run his hands up her shirt.

"You can't be serious?"

Albus decides to play along and matches Scorpius' smirk. Parker swears loudly.

Cicero takes his king. "Can we stop talking about that now?"

"Why?" Parker asks innocently. "Because you aren't getting any?"

Quickly, Cicero retorts, "Neither are you, the way I hear it."

The boys laugh, gathering on Parker's bed.

"It's hard for all of us to fit now. Getting old sucks."

Parker throws a chess piece at Cicero's head. "Nonsense. Now come sit on my lap and challenge Albus. I wanna see you get your arse kicked."

He does challenge Albus, but he doesn't sit on Parker's lap, much to his friends' amusement.

Albus defeats him in exactly four minutes and thirty-two seconds. "A new record," Scorpius announces.


	3. Rose: The Black Widows

**A/N: **I meant to post this last night with the other one, but I didn't have time to type it all up and do so D: I'm sorry! So here it is~

I'll update The Marauders: Trial and Error after classes end today. Or after this if I have time to read through and fix it.

**CHARACTER: **Rose Weasley

**YEAR: **5th/2022

**PLACE: **Hogwarts

**WORDS: **656

**The Black Widows**

Once upon a time, she had a crush on him. Second year, actually. It faded fast, and she fancied Scorpius Malfoy throughout third year. Fourth year was boy-free. Two months ago, Lorcan asked her to Hogsmeade. They went to Madam Puddifoot's.

And left early to do something they would enjoy a lot more—the new bookstore, The Book Nook. Rose thought it was a cute name. Still does.

She has talked to Marcus Walker since second year, of course. They have classes together and is in Gryffindor, like much of her family. She doesn't try to avoid him, but she still gets embarrassed around him, because she had a crush on him, once upon a time.

So when he finds her in the library and asks her if he can ask her something, she starts to worry. _He's not going to ask me on a date, is he? Please don't!_

"I need a drummer for my band," he says when she doesn't say anything.

She raises an eyebrow. "Huh?"

He grins. "Ha, got your attention. I need a drummer for my band," he repeats. "And I hear you play."

"Yeah."

She's still confused, but she likes the idea. Join a band. Why not?

"So join us. Joel might join, too, for keyboard. We have to find one that can run on magic so it'll work here. His came from his dad's music shop, but he's a muggle, so—"

"Okay."

Marcus stops. "Really?"

She smiles. "Really. Sounds like fun."

He grins widely. "Cool! Okay! So we're The Black Widows, okay? The deadliest band in the world, y'know?"

"Is that your catchphrase or something?"

He shrugs. "Thinking about it. Practice starts at seven after dinner in the old Charms classroom on Friday, okay?"

His excitement is contagious. "Okay." She's curious as to who else he's invited to join, and how she's supposed to get her drum set over here.

* * *

Rose leaves dinner with her family, separating after leaving the Great Hall. She goes to the room Marcus told her about. Before she enters, she hears a lot of rowdy, boy voices. _Am I the only girl?_ she wonders.

She walks in. Yes, she is. There's Marcus with a bass, Joel Lopez with a keyboard (they must have figured out how to power it), Flynn Marks with a guitar, and Dylan Thomas with another guitar. There's a drum set for her, black. "The Black Widows" is in bold, red lettering on the front with a black widow spider as the "o" in "Widows." She had no idea Marcus is so organized. It's odd—not many Gryffindors are like that.

There's sheet music ready for her, empty of words.

"Now that we're all here," Marcus says loudly, causing the talk to die immediately, "let's begin. To start off, I found us a drummer. Boys, Rose Weasley. Rose, boys."

"She already knows us, idiot," Dylan says, strumming his guitar absently. "We've only been going to the same school for five years."

"I didn't know you could play," Flynn remarks.

She shrugs. "Have been since Fred found out he had no sense of rhythm seven years ago."

"I haven't even been playing that long," he says, smiling. "You must be good."

"I am," she replies, smiling back.

Joel laughs. "Modest, too."

"We're talented, we don't have to be modest," Marcus says proudly. "Now! To work! I figure we can work on covers to get ourselves used to how each of us plays and work out any kinks. Then, it's to making music, got it?"

"Got it!" the members respond enthusiastically.

Rose is nervous, but she's excited. The butterflies in her tummy are fluttering like mad. She's going to tell Lorcan, but no one else. Yet. She doesn't need her family worrying about her and trying to talk her out of it, which Hugo, at least, will.

She sits behind the drums, picks up the drumsticks, and falls into a familiar rhythm.


	4. Albus: Til Death Do Us Prank

**A/N: **I may or may not continue this one in another 'shot. I know this will be expanded in my NextGen fic when I get it done and up. But until then!

**CHARACTER: **Albus Potter

**YEAR:** 6th/2022

**PLACE: **2nd Floor/Great Hall

**WORDS: **990

'**Til Death Do Us Prank**

"Damn it all to hell," James mutters, retying the string for the fifth time.

"Spending all this time on hand-tying a piece of _string_," Albus whispers. "Why can't you just use your wand like a normal person?"

Fred rolls his eyes. "Seriously, Al, _think_, will you? What's the point of pulling this off without the honest work?"

"I'm a Slytherin."

"You said it, not me," James says, smirking.

Albus childishly sticks his tongue out at his older brother.

"Finished!" The older Potter exclaims, throwing his hands up.

Peeves the Poltergeist zooms up the corridor. "Just in time, too. The caretaker's coming this way," the boys' lookout says cheerily, doing backflips in the air.

"Thanks, Peeves," Fred says with a wave.

The three race up the corridor, hiding under the Invisibility Cloak as they go. Breathing hard, they relax behind a tapestry of Merlin on the second floor. James whips off the Cloak.

"He's still following us," Albus says, so low and quiet that James and Fred have to lean in close to hear.

Sure enough, there are footsteps in front of the tapestry. The boys raise themselves onto the first step behind the secret entrance as quietly as possible. Albus wants to cast a Silencing Charm on them, but he doesn't dare speak, and now is not the time to try nonverbal spells for the first time. Still, outside, the footsteps stop, and Albus' heart beats faster and faster against his chest. He begins to find it harder to breath. He's never been in trouble before. He's always gotten away with room and time to spare.

Okay, he's had two detentions since his first year. Once in his first year, once in his third. Neither were fun, and he didn't want any repeats.

The only reason James and Fred aren't out there now, proudly getting caught and acting the stereotypical fifteen-year-olds old Fick thinks they are is Quidditch—if James ends up missing enough Quidditch practices that _he_ scheduled as captain due to detentions, Professor Longbottom would give his captaincy to a more reliable player.

Suddenly, a loud _CRASH_ reverberates through the corridor. There's a shout on the other side of the tapestry, and footsteps are off, down the corridor with no hesitation.

"All right, let's go before he comes back," James says, starting up the stairs.

Albus roughly pulls him back down. "I have to get to the dungeons first."

"So go, what's stopping you?"

"_James_!" Albus hisses.

"James," Fred says. "We have the Cloak."

James' expression is one of a ship captain whose crew just announced mutiny. After a few moments, his shoulders droop, and he groans. "Fine." He turns and leads his brother and cousin to the right and down the other set of stairs hidden behind the tapestry.

* * *

The next day, the Heads of Houses stand at the professors' table, gaining the attention of everyone at breakfast almost immediately.

Head of Slytherin House, Professor Walters, has her arms crossed tightly over her chest, lips a line thin enough to convince some of the students she is directly related to their headmistress, Professor McGonagall. Head of Gryffindor House, Professor Longbottom, has his hands clasped behind his back, eyes scanning the hall, picking out likely suspects. Head of Hufflepuff House, Professor Kantor, looks to be the calmest, but his students know full well that he's itching to put the troublemakers in their place. Head of Ravenclaw House, Professor Aker, has adopted a stance much like Professor Walters'. It is worrying.

To Albus, at least.

He sits between Scorpius and Beatrice, tapping his foot nervously. Headmistress McGonagall isn't at breakfast, and only two other professors are in the Great Hall besides the Heads of Houses.

"I'm sure that, by now, most of you have heard about the incident from last night." Professor Walters' voice carries throughout the hall. The students haven't even opened their mouths since the Heads rose from their seats.

Professor Kantor sweeps his gaze across the four, long tables. "We have a rather short list of suspects, and each of those students will be asked to their Head of House's office before classes begin today."

"However," Professor Aker says, "if you have any information whatsoever, we expect you to come forward. Three students are in the hospital wing, and one of them may need to go to St. Mungo's. This is serious, and we expect you all to behave accordingly."

Professor Longbottom's eyes go back and forth between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. "If the culprits come forward directly after breakfast is finished, the consequences will be far less severe. If we have to pry the truth from you, you may face more than suspension."

Whispers break out among the hall. As far as any of them knew, discipline had only gone so far as some of the worst possible detentions versus expulsion. To consider suspension…

"Doesn't that go on your Ministry record? Including the details of why you were suspended?" Beatrice says, bringing a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth.

"Yes. Eight years ago, there were a Gryffindor student and a Slytherin student that were suspended for jinxing the brooms of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams. Five of the players were sent to St. Mungo's due to their broken bones. Too many for one Healer at Hogwarts to mend."

Beatrice's forkful of eggs falls back to her plate, her mouth still open. "That's the most I've ever heard you say in one go, Scorpius."

If they expect Albus to comment, as well, they are disappointed. He stares hard at his plate.

Their goal was to get Robert Danielson, a Gryffindor prefect that took great joy in harassing Albus and most other Slytherins. The other two students just happened to be in the area at the same unfortunate time.

All Albus can do is sit quietly and talk to James and Fred before they're called into Professor Longbottom's and Professor Walter's offices.

Damn it.


	5. Scorpius: Quidditch

**A/N:** So sorry I didn't update last week! I got swamped with work of the job and school varieties. On the bright side, done with midterms!

So basically I'm updating every story twice this week. Maybe all today so I don't have to worry bout it Thursday. Or maybe I'll update again then. Depends on how much I get done (:

**CHARACTER: **Scorpius Malfoy

**YEAR: **5th/2021

**PLACE: **Quidditch Pitch/Slytherin Common Room

**WORDS: **650

**Quidditch**

Scorpius is losing his patience, and fast. If his team doesn't get their shit together soon, he's re-holding try-outs, and none of them will be on it. He'll ban them.

Albus says if he talked as much as he does on the pitch ("Don't _yell_, but _talk_. Your mouth doesn't stay shut long during practice," he'd said), then he would have more friends. Scorpius doesn't want half the people he goes to school with to be his friends, though. Most of them can't tell their right from their left.

He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Carson! If you drop that Quaffle _one more time_, I will aim it at your head, and I _will not miss_!"

Cason Nott visibly gulps.

"Give him a break, Scor. It's his first practice," Parker Bobbins says, swinging his beater's bat at an oncoming bludger.

"Really, Parker, you're going to argue with Scorpius? Have you learned _nothing_?" Xander Miles bounces the Quaffle in his hands, glaring at the Beater. Parker only shrugs.

Scorpius blows his whistle. "Bobbins!" (María Vasquez mutters, "Oh, you've done it now.") He looks at his watch. "Land! Run laps for twenty minutes. Ten for calling me 'Scor,' and ten for missing that bludger."

"C'mon! How's _that_ gonna help me as a beater?" he shouts angrily.

Scorpius smirks. Parker's face drains of color. "You're right," the captain says, "how silly of me. Land and do push-ups for twenty minutes."

This time, Parker doesn't protest. He does as he's told, frowning.

When his team doesn't immediately get back to work, Scorpius blows his whistle. "What are you waiting for? Do you _want_ Gryffindor to beat us? Let's go!"

Sometime later, Albus Potter, Cicero Nott, and Beatrice Traver sit in the stands. They have their school bags with them. Not long after he notices them, Scorpius gathers his team.

"Okay, we play Gryffindor in two weeks, first match of the season. We'll stop here and be out tomorrow morning at six o'clock sharp, got it?"

María raises her hand. "Why not the afternoon?"

"Potter's booked it already." After a pause, he continues, "Okay, let's get cleaned up and eat—it's getting dark, so we'll stop."

There's a cheer from his team, and they rush to the locker rooms.

Albus, Cicero, and Beatrice are waiting at the entrance to the Slytherin locker rooms. When Scorpius, Parker, and Carson join them, Cicero slings an arm around his little brother and loudly announces that his talent comes from his "big bro." Scorpius snorts.

* * *

Later that night, he finishes his Potions essay. Only to find out from Albus that it should have been on the Wolfsbane Potion, not the Draught of Living Death.

"_Damn_ it," he mutters, dropping his head in his hands.

"Maybe you should drop something," Albus suggests, proofreading his own essay. "And the essay isn't due for another week, so you have time."

Scorpius doesn't reply. He rolls up his essay on the Draught of Living Death and unceremoniously shoves it into his bag. He takes out a fresh sheet of parchment and writes his heading and title. When he glances back up at Albus, his best friend is unwrapping a sugar quill. "You're going to die young," he says.

"No, I'm not. These are good for you."

"Not if you want to live a long, healthy life."

Albus waves his hand. "Healthy's over-rated," he says before sticking the sweet in his mouth.

"Obviously," Scorpius says, one eyebrow raised. He'll never say it, but he thinks Albus' sugar addiction is absolutely adorable. And hanging out with Albus is stress-relieving. Until Albus needs help with Defense Against the Dark Arts, anyway.

"You okay, Scor?"

Albus' question brings him back to Earth. "Hm?"

"You're spacing out."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. And don't call me 'Scor.'"

Albus grins wickedly, reminding Scorpius horribly of his brother, James (reinforcing that they are, indeed, unfortunately, related). "Whatever you say, Scor."


	6. Lorcan: Midnight

**A/N:** This was fun to write. I love Lorcan. He's fantastic.

**CHARACTER: **Lorcan Scamander

**YEAR:** 7th/2024 – Easter hols

**PLACE:** Various

**WORDS: **868

**Midnight**

Lorcan Scamander is a Ravenclaw. His twin brother, Lysander, is a Gryffindor. Lorcan is not brave in the same way Lysander is. Lysander would stand in front of Auror Ron Weasley with a challenge in his bright blue eyes, daring him to say something about hi s mane of blonde hair that he refuses to cut. Lorcan is standing in front of Auror Ron Weasley with his blue eyes focused on a _very interesting_ spot on the floor, his blonde hair neatly cut and combed in an attempt to impress his girlfriend's parents, even though Mr. Wesaley had known him since he was a baby.

Of course, that didn't stop the older man from threatening to castrate him if he hurts his little girl. Having _just a little_ more control over his mouth than his brother and his mother, he doesn't mention that Rose isn't "little" anymore.

Mrs. Weasley comes down the stairs. "Just be careful, all right? You two are seventeen, but you know you can't use magic around—"

"We know, Mum."

Rose is walking down the stairs, and Lorcan raises his eyes to her. Her usually bushy, red hair is sleeked back into a high ponytail, her dark brown eyes outlined in makeup that makes them pop. She wears a dark blue dress that stops just above her knee—it's tight and shows off her figure. If she wasn't wearing that black, half-sleeve blazer, his pretty certain her father would have a coronary. He looks at Mr. Weasley out of the corner of his eye.

Scratch that. Mr. Weasley looks about ready to drop dead. Surely no one's face can be that red without the threat of imminent death?

He shifts his gaze back to Rose and smirks—he should have known she would keep her combat boots. She hates heels, and, frankly, he's surprised she's wearing a dress.

"You—" _Shite_, he's hoarse. He clears his throat, feels a glare from his right. "You look nice," he tells her.

She smiles. "Yeah? You, too."

He doubts that. Dark wash jeans and an untucked white button-down? Something Lysander threw at him, saying he couldn't just wear jeans and a band tee-shirt. He's glad he didn't.

"Have her back before midnight." The voice is strained, and, when he looks, Mr. Weasley is still glaring at him. "Am I understood?"

Rose's fists clench. "Daddy," she warns.

"Yes, sir," Lorcan says. "Before midnight."

Mr. Weasley huffs, but, with "that look" from his wife, he doesn't say another word.

"Be careful, all right?" Mrs. Weasley repeats, handing a small, black purse to her daughter and opening the door. She waves at them even after they're in the car and driving off.

"Is it going to be over by midnight?" Rose asks, playing with the zipper on her purse.

"Starts at eight, should be done by eleven. Gives us time." A pause. "You sure your dad won't find out?"

She shakes her head. "Not if we stick to our story. We're going to Roberta's. We had pasta, with garlic bread as an appetizer, and we shared a molten lava cake for dessert."

His hands tighten on the wheel. "Right. Bread, pasta, cake."

"Walk in the park."

He raises his eyebrows. "Okay, then a walk in the park."

She leans over and pecks his cheek. "We'll be fine."

* * *

Rose slams the car door, smiling widely. "That was _amazing_! And they sang 'Your Lullaby!'"

Lorcan nods, beginning to back out of the lot. "Good thing, too, since that's probably one of their last concerts."

"That is _so_ depressing. The Weird Sisters shaped a whole generation!"

"Will you still tour when you're in your sixties?"

She shrugs. "Maybe."

He grins. "I'd like to see that. Sixty-year-old Rose Weasley on a set of drums up on stage." She mutters something he can't hear. "What's that?"

When he glances at her (because he doesn't want his eyes off the road for long), her face is as red as her hair, eyes trained on her hands in her lap. "Nothing," she says quickly.

"Doesn't look like nothing," he insists. When they stop at a traffic light, he turns his gaze towards her. She meets his eyes. A light pops on in his head. "Did you use my last name?"

She frowns. "No!"

He smirks. "Oh, you _so_ did." She faces the window. He presses on the gas pedal. "Rose Scamander. Has a nice right to it."

"If you're trying to propose, you're supposed to have a ring."

"All in good time, my dear."

There's silence for a few moments before she starts laughing. He smiles.

They arrive back at her house five minutes to midnight. At the door, he pulls her close and kisses her, left hand on the small of her back, right gently pulling her ponytail out of its holder. She wraps her arms around his neck.

The outside lights tart switching off and on, off and on. The couple pulls apart.

"That's Hugo," Rose says. She smiles at him. "I'll see you later."

"Good night," he says, giving her one more, chaste kiss.

"Good night." She opens the door and goes inside. He walks back to his car, smiling like a love-struck fool.


End file.
